Improvement in envelopes



UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE.

GEORGE HUMPHRYS MATHEWS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IlVI PROVEM ENT IN ENVELOPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 84,501, dated December 1, 1808; antedated i Novemberl, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HUMPIIRYS MATHEWS, of the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Envelope or Trapper ot' such a description that on being sealed with sealing-wax or some corresponding substance the outline of the seal will be clear and well defined, and of any shape or size desired, being surrounded, if desired, with a raised or engraved ornamental border; and I do hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referenee being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters ot' reference marked therein- Figure l representing' an envelope with the Hap opened, having one opening in the Hap, Fig. 2 representing the same envelope closed and sealed, Fig. o representing a large envelope closed and partially sealed, having three openings in the flap.

The nature ot' my invention and the method of using it are as follows:

It consists in cutting one or more openings of any desired shape and size in the ap of an envelope or wrapper, (see Figs. l and 2, letter A,) the said openings being' surrounded, if desired, with a raised or engraved ornamental border, and in making one or more marks, Figs. l and 3, letter B, according to the number of openings in the ap, on that portion of the envelope that is covered by the tiap, in such a way that on closing the flap a mark will be in the center of each opening in the flap, the object of these marks being to point out the spot where the sealing-wax is to be applied. A quantity of melted sealingwaX is then placed 011 the envelope over the mark or marks, and the flap of the envelope is pressed down, a portion of the wax filling up the opening or openings in the flap, while the remainder causes the iap to adhere to the body of the envelope. A seal or stamp is then pressed on the wax in the openings, and impressions are produced with clear and welldelined outline corresponding to the size and shape of the openings and even with the thickness ot' the material, instead of forming the irregular spot now made by putting the waX on the outside ofthe tlap, where it meets the under edge, and making an uneven and irregular raised border around the seal when pressed upon the wax, and being liable to be chipped ofi' the surface or broken while under going the rubbing incident to being transported by mail.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-` An envelope or wrapper having one or more openings out in the flap, and having marks on that portion of the body of the envelope b eneath the flap7 substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

GEORGE HUMPHRYS MATHEWVS. Witnesses:

WM. S. MA'rnEws, FREDERIC GALLATIN. 

